“Prepping for the worst, hoping for the best”: CBRN gear is essential in ensuring the protection and readiness of the personnel operating the aircraft against any threats that adversaries may use.
Tyndall AFB implemented newly-developed CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear) gear to increase combat readiness of aircrew by providing proper protection in the event of an attack.
According to a press release, the base “is taking a proactive step in increasing its combat readiness by implementing the use of aircrew chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear equipment.”
The 325th Operations Support Squadron’s Aircrew Flight Equipment Flight (AFE) has set an ambitious deadline: February 2025. By then, all current and incoming pilots will have to be fitted and trained to properly use the new gear with the aim to make sure pilots are always ready for action.
“We need to be prepared for anything,” said Senior Airman Kaitlin Wells, an aircrew flight equipment journeyman with the 325th OSS. “That includes having all their equipment sized, fit, inspected, tested, and ready. If something happens tomorrow, we can’t afford to scramble and fit every pilot last minute.”
This gear is tailored specifically for pilots flying high-performance aircraft. It’s designed and built to handle extreme g-forces and emergency situations, without interfering with other “things” in the cockpit, while working seamlessly with other layers of protection, like thermal suits and cold-water immersion garments. The system integrates respiratory protection with full-body coverage, creating a shield against exposure to CBRN threats.
On average, the gear adds about 10-15 pounds to what pilots already carry, making fitting and training especially critical. The process is thorough, starting with precise measurements and fit checks to ensure pilots can operate comfortably and effectively. Training includes classroom sessions to cover the basics: what the equipment does, how to use it, and maintenance expectations.
Generally speaking, CBRN gear is usually cumbersome, difficult to dress and pretty uncomfortable.. This Author has had the opportunity to take part in an NBC training with the Italian Air Force some decades ago and what the drills highlighted is that operations with protective gear and gloves, with the body completely encapsulated and inherent communication difficulties, requires strict adherence with the procedures and much practice. Without this discipline, the risk of exposure to contamination increases significantly.
Moreover, the use of such gears in a fast jet complicates the things as it is not possible to don and doff the protective mask in-flight, just in case Chemical or Biological agents are reported to be used on the battlefield (as in the case of the U.S. Army AH-64 aircrews): the pilots need to wear protective gear before the take off and carry out the whole mission with it.
Practical training for the use on a fighter gets hands-on, requiring pilots to suit up and run through simulated CBRN scenarios. These include processing through areas like the Air Crew Contamination Area and Air Crew Contamination Station, where they practice testing, removing, and decontaminating their gear. While regulations call for this process every three years or for newly assigned members, AFE plans to run these drills quarterly to keep everyone sharp.
By equipping pilots with this advanced gear, Tyndall AFB is upping its readiness game. The initiative not only ensures aircrew safety but also expands operational capabilities, making the force more agile and ready for any mission.
The first tests with the CBRN gear on the F-35 were carried out using an F-35B at Edwards AFB, California, in 2017. The 461st FLTS used an an F-35B on loan from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona: they opted for the STOVL (Short Take Off Vertical Landing) variant of the JSF because it’s the most complex: “We purposely chose the Marine [short takeoff, vertical landing] version of the F-35 because the equipment is more complicated and basically has more nooks and crannies for the contaminant to hide in. This aircraft also has full-up mission systems. These tests will demonstrate that the U.S. and partner nations can fly, fight, and win in a CB threat environment and then quickly decontaminate the aircraft and return it to normal operation.”
While the recent press release about Tyndall AFB says a “new” version of the gear has been used, it doesn’t specify what modifications have been made to the equipment.
“I think it gets us back to a combat-ready mission,” said Tech. Sgt. Kevin Terry, flight chief for the 301st Fighter Squadron. “It removes limitations on where we can go and take our aircraft, making us a more agile and prepared force to fight the fight.”
